Cha Lua – Vietnamese mortadella

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 1 kg lean pork, diced or chopped
• 200 g bacon, very finely chopped or fatty mince
• 250 ml water
• 8 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• ½ tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp chili pepper(s), dried, crushed or ground
• 2 tsp, heaped baking powder
• 2 tbsp tapioca

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 12 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Total time approx. 14 hours 30 minutes

good, for example, as a topping for Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwiches)

Chop the pork and bacon (or ground pork) very finely in a food processor until it resembles a farce. Add the fish sauce, salt, pepper, chili, and sugar and mix thoroughly. In a bowl, combine water with tapioca flour and baking powder. It should bubble slightly; if not, add a little more baking powder. Pour this liquid into the meat and mix well. Season to taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, stir the mixture thoroughly and season again. Banana leaves can be bought frozen at Asian stores; I simply cut them off in my garden. They are cleaned, the inner ribs removed, and briefly heated over a flame or in the oven until soft. When done right, they will be shiny and fragrant. Cut into appropriate pieces and stack them on top of each other to create a surface of approximately 50 x 50 cm. Divide the meat mixture into two portions and form a roll on the banana leaf, approximately 25 cm long. Now begin wrapping the meat in the leaf. Fold the left and right ends towards the middle and then continue wrapping. Tie the parcel tightly and wrap the other roll in the same way. You can also wrap the mixture first in cling film and then in the banana leaf; this is easier but will reduce some of the typical flavor. Heat sufficient water in a large pot with a steamer basket. When it boils, place the two parcels on the basket, cover, and steam for 90 minutes. Let cool and use as desired, for example in Vietnamese sandwiches such as Banh Mi. In Thailand, it is also used to make a spicy and sour salad, Yam Muh Yo. The Thai version is made without baking powder; instead, shredded ice is stirred into the mixture to loosen the meat batter.